Perfect Soldier: Language Barrier
by Warrior of Forest
Summary: 21. Part one of the perfect soldier series. A drastic barrier keeps Heero distant from the other pilots. Will Duo be able to help him through and prove his love at the same time? All that kept Heero distant is revealed. COMPLETE
1. Suspicions

Perfect Soldier: Language Barrier, part one of the Perfect Soldier series.  
  
Note: mild AU. The boys all speak in English to each other.  
  
Warning: This fic is shonen-ai. If you have a problem with that don't read it. This starts out slow, but it is necessary for the rest of the story. It will be relatively short and lead into the second part of the series, Perfect Soldier: Mind Control. That part will deal more heavily into 1+2. That will be an AU look at Heero's past, but keep all other parts of the story intact.  
  
Enjoy, R&R, update will come soon!  
  
Prologue: Suspicions  
  
Duo glared across the table at the stoic boy on the other side.  
  
The pilots were all seated down at the large table within the house they shared in northern Nevada. The boys had had a long day hiking up the mountain near the house. Now, back for dinner they all sat down and were discussing the trip in great detail. Even Trowa was being a part of the conversation. However, Heero Yuy had not said one word all evening. He just kept glaring at who ever was speaking with narrowed eyes, arms crossed before him. Duo was tired of Heero's silence. Every time the pilots were together it was the same, even when it was one on one with Heero he barely spoke. When he did it was short sentences that often seemed random or were related to a topic long past.  
  
"Quatre! The way you looked down that cliff! I thought you were gonna pass out!" Duo added into the conversation, hearing it turn toward Quatre's rather embarrassing bout of fear of heights.  
  
"It was high!" Quatre defended.  
  
"Warriors should never show fear!" WuFei put in angrily.  
  
"It wasn't a war WuFei. It was a hike! Jeez Wu-man get a life!" Duo mocked  
  
"Are you taunting me Maxwell!?" WuFei stood angrily hand on sword.  
  
Heero tensed seeing the blade drawn, and his hand fell to rest on his gun. Pulling it out, he fired just above the blade. WuFei stopped and stared.  
  
"Sword away, and don't kill Duo." Heero said as a way of explanation and sat down to polish his gun.  
  
Duo had long also noticed the fact that Heero would often speak in an undertone to himself while conversations are going on. It seemed almost as if he were holding the conversation with himself a second time around. Duo was always puzzled by these actions and since he first noticed he took extra care to watch Heero during conversations.  
  
********  
  
Dinner ended without furthur incident and the pilots retired to bed. Duo was troubled by the actions of Heero. He had overreacted to WuFei's antics, almost as if he thought Wufei really was out for blood, rather than engaging in the peaceful teasing game the two constantly were a part of. Duo was concerned for the boy he was so fond of. Duo had for a long time cared deeply for Heero, even loved him. However, he didn't want to say anything until he knew how Heero felt. Though clear Heero didn't love Relena, Duo wanted to be sure if he would be accepted or rejected before he spoke out. Either as best friend or lover, Duo still wished to help Heero more than anything else. He would find out what was Heero's problem or die trying.  
  
TBC...  
  
Review, say what you think. Stick with me here. This will move after this, the set up was necessary! Ja! ~Warrior of Forest~ 


	2. Revelations

A/N Now it gets interesting. Moving into the full plot line of the whole series of stories. More on the dream sequence later. This story will be relatively short, compared to the next which will be so long that long is an understatement. Stay a while, you'll have fun.  
  
R&R of course.  
  
Chapter 1: Revelations  
  
Heero reached his room and flung himself down on the green-sheeted bed in the sparsely furnished room.  
  
'Why can't I understand!?' He screamed in his thoughts 'I wish to be able to speak with them, but I just can't seem to decipher this language!'  
  
He rolled over to the side of the bed and pulled a thick book out from under the mattress. The book was turquoise colored with the title "English Levels 1 and 2, Learn to Speak English Easily!"  
  
Heero pulled out a pen and opened up to the tenth chapter: Combining Tenses into compound sentences and travel vocabulary.  
  
He had already learned the English letters, the only easy part of the language was the 26-letter alphabet. It was short, especially compared to Japanese. He began to read the lesson on the present tense of English and how to use it.  
  
Suddenly, Duo barged into the room, eyes blazing with anger and confusion. Heero quickly flung the book and pen under his pillow, not wishing for Duo to know his secret.  
  
"Okay Heero! Enough of the secrecy!" Duo raged. "Why won't you speak to us!? It's been over 3 years since the war and still you won't open your mouth and speak to us in longer than three word sentences! Honestly Heero! You created a language of grunts!" Duo was waving his arms around and pacing back and forth around the room as Heero simply sat and glared at him from the bed.  
  
'Okay.okay...' Heero thought frantically 'He's mad, but why? Something about speaking and a..a..mouth. A three was in there somewhere, but all the words in between! I can't tell what he wants me to know!' As Heero's thoughts dashed off, he blanked on what Duo was saying trying figure out what on Earth he had said before. As Heero thought, he face darkened in anger at himself for his lack of knowledge and his glare sharpened on Duo as the object of his frustration.  
  
'If he would only speak slower, I could figure out some of it!' Heero thought  
  
"...and another thing! What's with the glares?" Duo noticed Heero's glare, but also noticed that he was glaring at a wall. "Heero! Are you listening to me?!"  
  
Heero's head snapped up. He knew what Duo had just said and that he was angry. "Hn." He grunted.  
  
"Oh I give up!" Duo yelled and stormed out of the room.  
  
'Duo...' Heero thought sadly, 'I wish I could tell you why.'  
  
*********  
  
~~~~~~ (dream sequence)  
  
"Foolish boy!" A dark man yelled, flinging the boy across the room "Never cry out! Never!"  
  
A whip cracked to land on bare flesh, "We will teach you pain!"  
  
"Never show fear!"  
  
"Kill without remorse!"  
  
"You are our pawn act like one!"  
  
Pain seared across his vision. His body was on fire. The men crowed around his fallen frame, their eyes holding an emotion none should see.  
  
"To the chamber with you boy!" And he was cracked over the head with a chair.  
  
The world faded to black and Heero awoke to find himself screaming.  
  
~~~~~~~~~  
  
Duo ran into the room hearing his scream. Though quickly muffled, it drew him to the source. The other pilots had been alerted as well and reached the door just after Duo. They all halted at the sight.  
  
Heero sat up on his bed, knees draw to his chest, arms wrapped around his legs, anguished eyes staring into space. He was muttering quickly under his breath in a language none of them spoke, but it was more than Heero had said to them ever.  
  
Duo snapped out of the trance and flew to Heero's side. He placed a hesitant hand on his shoulder. Speaking slowly he tried to clam to anguished pilot.  
  
"Heero buddy? You okay?"  
  
Heero snapped out of the trance and leapt to his feet. Eyes darting around like a frightened animal, he walked resolutely to the closet in the wall and pulled a long, thin box from the corner.  
  
"Heero? What are you doing?" Quatre questioned, but was silenced with a glare.  
  
Trowa merely stood aside and took note of the actions taken by Heero.  
  
Duo rushed after Heero. 'Something's not right.' Duo thought 'He doesn't usually get this upset.'  
  
"Heero! Talk to me! Please let me help you!" Duo pleaded grabbing onto Heero's arm.  
  
Heero whirled to look at him. Staring him straight in the eye, he said sadly "I can't."  
  
"Why? Why won't you talk to me? To us? Do you not trust us? Do you hate us? Talk to me Heero!" Duo sharply questioned. WuFei stood to the side, understanding slowly creeping into his eyes.  
  
"WAKARANAI DUO!" Heero barked back, pulling away and stalking off toward the room placed in the basement for the boys to exercise in on rainy days.  
  
"What..." Duo said dazedly.  
  
'Now it makes sense.' WuFei thought. The others only stared after Heero in the wake of his violent exclamation. Looking at each other in universal decision, they turned and raced after the Wing pilot worried what his hysterical rage and fear might cause him to do.  
  
TBC... 


	3. Fight! Heero vs Wufei!

A/N A break from this story's main plot, but an important part for the next story. Thanks to all my reviewers! You guys rock!  
  
R&R of course!  
  
Chapter 3: Fight! Heero vs Wufei!  
  
'I can't believe I let my control slip!' Heero angrily berated himself as he ran down the sparsely furnished white hallway toward the basement. 'After all this time! I slipped up!' Heero's expression darkened with rage 'And it was the dream of their actions that did it!'  
  
Heero's hand was gripping the slender package so tightly that his knuckles turned white. Spinning in his heel, he turned to face the basement door, flung it open and stormed down the wooden stairs. The room was well lit, with mirrors lining one wall. The ceiling had a good fifteen-foot clearance and the floor was made of polished wood and then covered by mats. Here, Heero kneeled down in the center of the room and began to unwrap the package.  
  
*****  
  
Rushing down the same hallway, the other boys feared for their friend. However, only WuFei had been able to pick up the signals Heero gave and put them together.  
  
'My Japanese is terrible,' Wufei thought as he ran 'but perhaps I can help. It's clear by his outburst he doesn't truly understand what we say.' WuFei glanced sideways at Duo 'Perhaps when he is able to understand Duo will pull him out and get him to speak. Either way, I can help him now.'  
  
Duo was puzzled as he ran; he hadn't understood the language Heero spoke. But, these puzzling thoughts were stilled as they reached the basement door and ran down the stairs.  
  
*****  
  
They ran in just as Heero pulled a Japanese long sword out of the box. The sword was a magnificent piece of art, wooden sheath and elegant decoration showed that the sword was the work of a master. Heero turned to face them, upon seeing WuFei he held his sword out to him in challenge. WuFei bowed and accepted the challenge, pulling his own blade off the rack on the wall.  
  
Duo opened his mouth to question the actions, but was silence by Trowa. Puzzled, he turned to watch the events playing out between the two Asian boys.  
  
Heero and WuFei went to opposite sides of the room. WuFei spoke first, holding his sword, sheathed, on flat palms out to Heero.  
  
"I, Chang WuFei of the Watoujutsu School, accept your challenge." That said, he bowed to Heero and to his blade.  
  
"I, Yuy Heero of the Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu, honor you." He in turn bowed to both challenger and blade.  
  
(*Note: This will not be a RurouKen GW cross over. I am merely utilizing the styles)  
  
'Good,' Heero sighed to himself 'That didn't sound to bad.'  
  
WuFei drew his blade and placed it in front of him. Heero sank down, bending his knees slightly and placed his hand just over the hilt of the still sheathed blade. He had an obi in the box as well, so the blade stayed in place.  
  
"Ikuso!" Heero yelled, whipping the blade out of the sheath with amazing speed. WuFei's eyes widened as Heero flew towards him but managed to counter the attack. WuFei turned Heero's blade aside and launched into a parallel swing.  
  
Heero dodged the attack, coming up in the air and flipping over Wufei to land behind him. Quickly spinning, Heero caught WuFei with the blunt side of the blade across his back. The other Asian flew across the room and thudded down to the mats.  
  
The other pilots gasped in horror at the sheer brutality Heero exhibited.  
  
WuFei climbed back to his feet and sunk into a stance with his blade protecting his front but in a position to move quickly to attack. WuFei saw the look in Heero's eyes and realized that Heero wasn't really fighting him, but rather the demons of his past.  
  
Heero's eyes narrowed when Wufei stood again and he launched into a series of rapid-fire attacks as he screamed, "Ryu Sho Sen!"  
  
The attacks came from all sides, slamming WuFei with the blunt side numerous times all over his body.  
  
Finally, Heero pulled away and Wufei fell to his knees. But, the Chinese boy was not out yet.  
  
'I must let him fight this until he calms down!' WuFei thought with conviction.  
  
Heero's eyes narrowed to slits and rage poured off him in palpable waves as the other boys once more stood and held out his blade in the standard attack stance.  
  
"SHI NE!(die!)" Heero yelled as he flipped grip so the sharp side would land and dropped once more into the stance he started in. HE flew forward with god like speed, calling out "Ama Kakeru Ryu no Hirameki!"  
  
WuFei saw his death coming, but just as Heero closed in on him, Duo could stay silent no longer.  
  
"Heero! Stop! You'll kill him!!" Duo cried out. Quatre had tears falling down his face and was cradled in Trowa's arms. The violence and rage shown by Heero was terrifying and struck them all deeply.  
  
Heero's eyes snapped open and he came to himself, roughly yanking the blade out of its path. He fell to one knee beside Wufei as the force of the attack translated through his body.  
  
Suddenly, full realization of what he had done came back.  
  
'I.. I tried to kill him!' Heero realized in horror. 'Anger gave me no cause to return to what I was!'  
  
Heero's shoulders tightened with grief and rage, he punched the floor with all his might, "CHIKUSHO!!"  
  
WuFei placed a gentle hand on the distraught boys shoulder.  
  
"Daijoubu Heero. Its alright, you didn't mean it."  
  
"Demo, Ore..ore..no control.." Heero gasped in broken English, hands clenched by his sword.  
  
"You stopped Heero. That's all that matters." Wufei knew the Japanese boy didn't understand all he said, but he still wanted to convey his meaning.  
  
Heero looked up, his eyes open and questioning. Wufei returned the gaze with a smile. Heero smiled sadly, his eyes still dark with anger, and pain.  
  
Duo came up behind them, leaving Quatre and Trowa by the door. His eyes darkened in rage at the fight gone too far. He had not seen through Heero's actions as WuFei had, for only those who are true warriors and locked in battle can read the heart of the other.  
  
"What the Hell do you think you were doing, Heero!?" Duo raged, "You could have killed him! The way you were fighting I could swear you wanted to kill him you cold hearted bastard!"  
  
Heero rose to look at him, glare of concentration in place. 'He said something about me and kill and fight. He's upset about my actions...I think.' Heero thought to himself, eyes darkening as he tried to decipher Duo's rapidly spoken, angered words.  
  
"If you had killed him, would you have cared!?" Duo was incensed by the lack f response from Heero, beyond his glare. He clutched at Heero's tank top and glared down into his eyes (note: Duo grew to be taller than Heero standing 5'11'' and Heero only 5'7'').  
  
"Don't you have anything to say for yourself!? Talk to me you-"  
  
"ENOUGH!" WuFei interjected angrily, grabbing Duo's hands and pulling them off Heero.  
  
"Why? He tried to kill you and now he has nothing to say for himself!" Duo raged in his confusion and anger.  
  
"Duo!" WuFei said sharply, grabbing Duo's attention and silence at his sharp tone. "Heero was not fighting me really, but his past."  
  
"But, still he could have said something! He just glares!"  
  
"Duo! Heero doesn't speak English."  
  
TBC.. 


	4. A New Mission

A/N: Yatta! So many reviews! Love you all! And my work is currently being archived at Moffit's site, if you care to know. Check it out, it's a nice site!  
  
Have fun with this chapter, after this the action, humour and angst pick up with a vengence!  
  
Now, enough of my rambling, here's the awaited  
  
Chapter 4: A New Mission  
  
"Duo!" WuFei roared, "Heero doesn't speak English."  
  
Duo's mouth dropped open in perfect timing with the other two pilots to thud upon contact with the floor. Even Trowa, usually unswayable was floored by this revelation. Quatre looked like he was about to shoot himself for not noticing. Duo... well, Duo was Duo.  
  
"You gotta be kidding!?" Duo said incredulously "You're kidding me right?"  
  
"No, I'm not kidding." WuFei coolly replied.  
  
"But-"  
  
"Ask him something, something he can answer easily, something he would answer, then tell me what you think."  
  
Quatre and Trowa looked on, eyes still wide with shock as Duo thought up a question that would shock a rock into speaking to his own defense.  
  
"Ok, Heero." Duo said jovially. "I'm ready"  
  
Heero looked up at him having heard his name and rose to his feet to stare up into Duo's eyes.  
  
"I heard you and Relena had a fun night last night!" Duo said in a singsong voice, thinking the stoic pilot would jump in anger. Duo knew that Heero didn't care for the girl, he also knew that such a question would make him angry. Quatre and Trowa winced at the question, thinking Heero would pound Duo for suggesting it, if he was lucky. If not, they'd be picking up little Duo pieces all night.  
  
But, Heero just stared at him and glared. However, now that he was looking for it, Duo could see the tangle of confused thoughts flying through those Prussian orbs.  
  
'Okay, okay' Heero thought in an effort to calm down 'He said, Relena's name and you, meaning me, and night. He said night twice. Something about Relena and I and a night. But what? Arg! I can't stand this, this not knowing!'  
  
"God, WuFei," Duo breathed "You're right. He doesn't have a clue what I said."  
  
The other two pilots walked over, sadness and guilt in their eyes, especially Quatre's, for not having noticed this grave problem sooner.  
  
'Damnit!' Duo thought angrily 'He didn't understand all this time! That was the reason for his grunts and glares! Damn it all! I can say I care for him..even love him, but how can I if I take such things for granted? Not speaking English? That must be horrible. I feel terrible! I can't believe I never cared to discover the reason for Heero's "Language of Grunts and Glares"! I can't deserve to love him until I help him! I must make up for lost time!'  
  
With iron conviction, Duo spoke up in his usual energetic voice, "Okay, boys!"  
  
"Men!" WuFei grumbled  
  
"Fine. Okay, MEN, we've got to help Heero learn English!"  
  
With that, he reached out and grabbed Heero's left forearm and pulled him behind him up the stairs and toward the living room. The others followed with bemused glances at a more sedate pace. All wished to help Heero, but they all acknowledged that Duo should be the one to break the barrier. After all, they had to be blind to not notice the tone Duo used to talk about Heero, or the softer phrasing he used in reference to him.  
  
********  
  
Up in the living room, Duo had forcibly sat Heero on the couch and now stood before the vid-phone with a look of intense concentration on his face.  
  
Heero simply stared at his back in frustration, they were going too quickly for him to pick out anything but names. But, Heero had gotten the fact that they knew that he didn't understand English. Also, that WuFei had told them, gauged by their reactions to his statement after the fight. He figured out WuFei knew he only spoke Japanese and minimal English when he spoke in Heero's native language in an effort to calm him after the fight.  
  
'Now, I will have their pity' Heero thought dejectedly, 'and that is the last thing I want.'  
  
The others came up to encounter the scene. They glanced at both and then took seats in the three large red leather armchairs scattered around the glass coffee table.  
  
The room they sat in was the largest in the house. It stood on the first floor and had a high ceiling. The walls were painted pale yellow, and the floor was polished hardwood. A couch and three red leather armchairs, now occupied by four of the five pilots, stood around a low glass table. Between the furniture were small glass tables, almost nightstand looking, each with a small red lamp on them. The vid phone was in the wall opposite the dark brown, polished door. On the adjacent wall a brick fireplace added to the homey feeling of the room.  
  
Finally, WuFei broke the silence.  
  
"Maxwell, either say what your doing or sit down so we can think about what to do about this!"  
  
"WuFei." Duo said calmly.  
  
"Yes?" WuFei asked slowly, surprised at the calm tone.  
  
"Do you know of anyone who speaks Japanese?" Duo asked as he turned to look at them, "Do any of you guys?"  
  
At their negative responses, Duo sighed and flung himself down on the couch next to Heero, who looked at him questioningly.  
  
"Knew that was too good of a possibility."  
  
The others sighed at his antics. Then, faces grew serious as they contemplated the problem. Silence permeated the room as they all considered the problem.  
  
"I know a little Japanese, but not enough to really help." WuFei spoke up.  
  
"I can say 'idiot'" Duo added in.  
  
"Duo, that would insult him, not help him." Trowa pointed out.  
  
"Yeah, I know."  
  
Silence reigned again.  
  
"Well, we could teach him as you'd teach a child. For vocabulary at least." Quatre added the last part quickly, seeing Duo's annoyance at his comparison of Heero to a child.  
  
"True." Trowa said.  
  
"What about the sentence structure and question words and such, you know not straight up vocab. We can't teach him that not knowing his language." Duo said sadly.  
  
"There is a way." WuFei spoke up suddenly.  
  
"There is?" Duo said in surprise and anticipation, "What is it?"  
  
The other pilots looked intensely at WuFei, even Heero who had been watching the conversation from lowered eyelids, looked at Wufei, sensing he was about to say something important. Heero had tried to pick up what they had been saying. So far, he knew they were talking about him. And about English. The conversation confirmed his suspicion that they knew he was unable to speak their language. The guilt Heero felt at letting them fund out was equal to as if he failed a mission. Indeed, he had failed his own mission to never let them know.  
  
Taking a deep breath, WuFei spoke, "We could teach he vocabulary as Quatre said, pointing it out and repeating it until he got it. For the language structure we could get him a book to learn English, one that taught in Japanese, we can find one in a store."  
  
"Yeah.." Duo said processing the information, "Yeah! That'd work!"  
  
The other pilots nodded their agreement and turned to look at Heero, who glared back.  
  
"Okay!" Duo cried exuberantly, "Let Mission: Teach Heero English, begin!"  
  
'I won't fail you this time my Heero! I promise!' Duo thought with conviction, staring into the eyes he loved so much.  
  
Heero looked into their eager and slightly psychotic expressions, and he couldn't help but feel a surge of dread.  
  
'What have I gotten myself into?'  
  
TBC... 


	5. TEASER FOR CH 5 and AUTHORS NOTE

Authors note: Terribly sorry. But, I am leaving for camp today and will be unable to update until September. I LOVE all of my reviewers and I sincerely hope to see you all again when the story rises in the fall. After that will come the second story of the series, Perfect Soldier: Mind control (angst lovers prepare) and the third story, and last, yet unnamed.  
  
Below is a teaser for Chapter 5!!  
  
~Hugs~  
  
Warrior of Forest  
  
Chapter 5: Lessons Commence! *TEASER ONLY*  
  
"HEERO!!" Duo's singsong voice called out to the Wing pilot sleeping on the couch he had sat on last night, "Time to go!"  
  
Heero sat bolt upright, eyes wide and alert. He scanned the area for threats, heart pounding in his chest, body singing with battle readiness.  
  
Duo, alarmed at the action, raced over and placed a hand on Heero's tense shoulder, "Easy, buddy, it's just me, Duo."  
  
However, at the touch Heero leapt up and landed on the floor in a deep crouch, eyes wide with alarm. Then, just as suddenly, he saw Duo and heard the comforting tone. Relaxing, he stood to face the Deathscythe pilot.  
  
"Ohayo gozaimasu, Duo." Heero said, effectively masking his embarrassment.  
  
'I can't believe I reacted like that!' Heero berated himself beneath his calm exterior, 'I haven't reacted like that in so long! Damn them for this reflex!' Heero took a deep breath in an effort to calm down, 'It's alright, they can't possible know what happened back then..and I don't wish to say. Even if I could tell them.'  
  
"Mornin' Heero." Duo replied. Though troubled by the reaction his awakening had gotten, he chose to let it be. At least until he had Heero's trust and he could talk to him.  
  
*******  
  
After breakfast, the boys ran out to the car. The Preventers had given the car to them and it was large enough to accommodate them all, as well as a few extra. The car was bright red and had three rows of seats in the back, one of which could be lowered to expand the trunk. The windows were tinted and, upon Duo's insistence, a stereo with 6 CD turning had been installed.  
  
The boys also had a red convertible that Duo had bought on a whim. It was jet black with black leather seats. The license plate read: Shinigami. There was also Trowa's red motorcycle and WuFei's blue one. Both bikes were for any of the boys to use freely, so long as they didn't crash it, except for a very good reason.  
  
But for today, the boys piled into the large car, or rather SUV. Just before they got in, Duo turned to Heero, pointed at the car and said: "car". Heero looked at him like he had three heads and six braids.  
  
Duo tried a different track. Pointing at himself he said: "Duo." Pointing at Heero, he said, "Heero." Pointing back to the car, it was: "Car". It was like a lightbulb came on in Heero's head.  
  
"C.ar." He repeated in a thick Japanese accent, "Car, car."  
  
"Yeah, good Heero." Duo said happily, and got in.  
  
****** 


	6. Lessons Commence THE REAL CHAPTER 5!

Ok people. I'M BAAAACK!!! Ok, this is solely and transition chapter with hints for the future stories in the trilogy thrown in. So, it's not as action-y as the rest, but chaos will ensue in the next chapters and then we'll do an about face in future stories. About Heero's language skill, think about it, when you first learn and someone talks to you you think "wow, other language" not what they are saying. So, Heero seems to jump up in skill from event to event, but that's just the nature of beginning speakers. *hugs* Warrior of Forest  
  
REMEMBER TO REVIEW! Do so and I'll be nice and send the next chappie out soon!!  
  
Okay, the long awaited continuation of..  
  
Chapter 5: Lessons Commence!  
  
"HEERO!!" Duo's singsong voice called out to the Wing pilot sleeping on the couch he had sat on last night, "Time to go!"  
  
Heero sat bolt upright, eyes wide and alert. He scanned the area for threats, heart pounding in his chest, body singing with battle readiness.  
  
Duo, alarmed at the action, raced over and placed a hand on Heero's tense shoulder, "Easy, buddy, it's just me, Duo."  
  
However, at the touch Heero leapt up and landed on the floor in a deep crouch, eyes wide with alarm. Then, just as suddenly, he saw Duo and heard the comforting tone. Relaxing, he stood to face the Deathscythe pilot.  
  
"Ohayo gozaimasu, Duo." Heero said, effectively masking his embarrassment.  
  
'I can't believe I reacted like that!' Heero berated himself beneath his calm exterior, 'I haven't reacted like that in so long! Damn them for this reflex!' Heero took a deep breath in an effort to calm down, 'It's alright, they can't possible know what happened back then..and I don't wish to say. Even if I could tell them.'  
  
"Mornin' Heero." Duo replied. Though troubled by the reaction his awakening had gotten, he chose to let it be. At least until he had Heero's trust and he could talk to him.  
  
*******  
  
After breakfast, the boys ran out to the car. The Preventers had given the car to them and it was large enough to accommodate them all, as well as a few extra. The car was bright red and had three rows of seats in the back, one of which could be lowered to expand the trunk. The windows were tinted and, upon Duo's insistence, a stereo with 6 CD turning had been installed.  
  
The boys also had a Z3 convertible that Duo had bought on a whim. It was jet black with black leather seats. The license plate read: Shinigami. There was also Trowa's red motorcycle and WuFei's blue one. Both bikes were for any of the boys to use freely, so long as they didn't crash it, except for a very good reason.  
  
But for today, the boys piled into the large car, or rather SUV. Just before they got in, Duo turned to Heero, pointed at the car and said: "car". Heero looked at him like he had three heads and six braids.  
  
Duo tried a different track. Pointing at himself he said: "Duo." Pointing at Heero, he said, "Heero." Pointing back to the car, it was: "Car". It was like a lightbulb came on in Heero's head.  
  
"C.ar." He repeated in a thick Japanese accent, "Car, car."  
  
"Yeah, good Heero." Duo said happily, and got in.  
  
******  
  
Upon arrival at the newly built Borders on the outskirts of the local town of Cherokee, NV, the boys all clambered, well Duo clambered, Wufei and Trowa glided, Quatre elegantly rose and Heero stalked, out of the car, they made their way toward the immense red metal doors of the 3 story cinderblock beige building.  
  
"Damn," Duo exclaimed, "Looking through a store this size'll take forever!"  
  
"Long time." Heero chimed in, in his thick Japanese accent. Duo smiled at his move.  
  
"Yeah," Quatre agreed, "But there are signs so it shouldn't take long."  
  
"If Duo stays away from the magazines." WuFei added as an after thought.  
  
"True." Ever short worded Trowa said.  
  
"Alright already!" Duo exclaimed bouncing with impatience, "Let's go!" With that, he grabbed Heero's arm at the wrist and dragged him into the store with the others following in calm acceptance of Duo's antics.  
  
******  
  
Apparently, following the signs was too much for Duo as he found himself in the section for foreign magazines. Seemingly anxious to leave the music section, Heero grabbed Duo's hand and dragged him towards the section under the word "Languages."  
  
To Duo's chagrin, Heero found the section (as well as the other boys who they had left behind in their mad dash) in less than 15 seconds.  
  
'Heero Yuy strikes again.' Duo thought, 'Jeez, I have to work on my language skills if Heero, who doesn't speak English can navigate a store with English signs better than I can! Then again, it is Heero, so miracles are to be taken into account as perfectly possible.'  
  
"Maxwell!" WuFei raged, "Where have you been! Only YOU could get lost when there are signs everywhere!"  
  
"Wu-man!" Duo pouted, "It's a hard store to navigate! But, Heero was with me and he found it so it's ok!"  
  
Heero stared at Duo. Then, turned to him, grabbed his wrist and pulled a shocked Duo behind him toward the store's front. WuFei followed; quiet for the minute and Quatre and Trowa stayed behind in the language section searching through the ranks of books for an appropriate selection.  
  
Upon reaching the storefront, Heero bodily pointed Duo toward the section and pointed at the sign, which was in plain sight.  
  
"Mite. (look)" He commanded. "Language it say."  
  
Duo looked rather abashed and WuFei just looked exasperated.  
  
"Maxwell, only you."  
  
That settled, they went back to the section where Quatre and Trowa had picked out the only 3 Japanese to English books, a Japanese dictionary and a book on reading in English. The latter two were for later on and had been picked for when he had a stronger grasp of the language.  
  
"Okay," Quatre began once Wufei, Duo and Heero had come over to them, "These are the 3 books we found. The first one," he said pulling open an orange book titled: English for the Japanese traveler, "Is pretty good for phrases and some structure, but has a limited vocabulary section. The second," he said pulling out a purple book, nigh on four inches thick and stating: English from Beginner to Fluency, "is as extensive as you'll find, but perhaps, too extensive, it had literally everything, from the basic greetings to the great works of English literature. It's very good, but very complex, so it's good but only with a watered down supplement. Which brings us to this," he concluded pulling forth a turquoise colored book with the title "English Levels 1 and 2, Learn to Speak English Easily! "It seems to be very good and-"  
  
"Book have." Heero cut in as he reached out for the book, plucking it from Quatre's hands, and opening it too chapter 10. "See?"  
  
Quatre blinked. No, he did not see.  
  
Heero sighed. "Have. See?"  
  
Quatre shook his head one more time, nope still didn't see.  
  
Duo leaned over and whispered into Heero's ear, 'You mean: I have that book.'  
  
Heero looked at him uncomprehending. "Nani?"  
  
"He means to say: I have that book and I'm on chapter 10 of vocabulary."  
  
"Hai." Heero agreed.  
  
"Ohhh." Collective light switched on.  
  
"Okay, Heero." Duo said conspiratorially, "We'll get these books: The big, thick purple one, the English reader and Japanese-English dictionary." Turning to Quatre he added, "You're paying right?"  
  
"Yes, Duo."  
  
"Love ya, Q!"  
  
Heero stared.  
  
"Okay Heero, when we get back, the fun really begins!"  
  
Once more, Heero internally cringed at the thought of what the hell he was getting himself into...  
  
TO BE CONTINUED..(REVIEW!!!) 


	7. Ah, The Woes Of Teachers and Students!

Ah! Sorry for the wait! Hectic week! Anyway, this is the second to last chapter of this story and an evil cliffie to boot!  
  
After Chapter 7, the story will re commence in the second part of the Perfect Soldier Trilogy. The Second Story, Perfect Soldier: Mind Control, will be much darker and will delve into my version of Heero's past. After that, another lighter story. But, gotta have the angst! Enjoy this chapter and I hope to see you in the last chapter and next story!  
  
REVIEW!!! *hugs* Warrior of Forest  
  
Now, the awaited..  
  
Chapter 6: Ah, the Woes of Teachers and Students  
  
Back at the house of the Gundam Pilots, nestled in the Nevada countryside, a rather bizarre occurrence was taking place. Heero Yuy sat at the dining room table, book of learning English in front of him, dictionary off to the side and Duo over his shoulder. Wufei, Trowa and Quatre sat across from the pair watching the interplay of Duo's attempted explanations and Heero's decidedly confused expression.  
  
"So you see Heero," He said pointing first to his eye, and then to the paper, "And the little line," he said tracing the line for emphasis, "connects this" points to Japanese phrase 'Hagimemashite', "to this." He concluded pointing to the English phrase "nice to meet you.'  
  
Wufei, Trowa and Quatre sweat dropped at his slightly (ok VER Y) exaggerated teaching style.  
  
Heero just looked annoyed. He turned sharply to Duo and pointed to himself, saying quite firmly. "I am Japanese. Not Idiot." With that he turned to Quatre and asked, "You teach?"  
  
Duo looked rather affronted and abashed at Heero's statement and was content to sit next to Heero while Quatre pulled out a pad of yellow paper and a large marker. He wrote in a column down the left side: Me/I You We They/Them He/She and Boku Omae Bokutachi Omaetachi onna/otoko. Pointing to himself he said: Me. Then pointing to the Japanese column on the right side stated: Boku. Me or I, means Boku."  
  
"Me or I mean boku." Heero said slowly.  
  
"Means." Trowa corrected gently.  
  
"Mean.s?" Heero questioned. WuFei spoke up, "There are no plurals in Japanese. Everything is singular. Right Heero?"  
  
Heero closed his eyes and processed the statement. "Yes." He replied. "Nothing plural."  
  
"Nothing *is* plural." Duo corrected. "Ya see, you need the is, because, uh, you just do!"  
  
Heero raised an eyebrow at the statement, wildly accompanied by flaying arms and wild gestures. He turned to Trowa who gave a better explanation. And a less physically dangerous one.  
  
" 'Is' is a verb. Every sentence needs a noun, subject and verb."  
  
"Quatre elaborated on the statement: "Every sentence," he showed a sentence in the book, Heero nodded in understanding, "has things it needs. For example, you don't say the book bad. You'd say the book *is* bad. Understand?"  
  
"Aa (yes)," Heero nodded, "Say, book is bad, book is good."  
  
"Exactly what I said!" Duo interjected in his defense.  
  
"Duo is a idiot." Heero said calmly.  
  
"HEY!" Duo opposed the statement "Meanie."  
  
"Duo is an idiot." Trowa corrected.  
  
Heero scowled. "English not.. is not-"  
  
"Good, Heero!" Quatre encouraged.  
  
"-Easy" Heero finished.  
  
"No, it's not." WuFei agreed, breaking out of the thought he was in regarding how dishonorable it was to have let someone who didn't speak English go by unnoticed for years. "But, we learned it and you can too."  
  
"Yes, I can learn." Heero said slowly.  
  
'I will too. If my life depends on it, I will learn to read, write and speak English!' Heero thought vehemently. 'I will take back what they took away from me! I'll rise above them at last!'  
  
******  
  
At Lunch that day, Trowa made them all sandwiches of different types of meat and dragging out his meat chart, pointed to each one throughout lunch, giving it its name.  
  
"Turkey." Trowa said pointing at the turkey on the chart. "Meat of Turkey sandwich." He concluded pointing at Duo's sandwich.  
  
"Tur..key." Heero repeated. "Sandwich."  
  
"Yes. Bologna." He said pointing to WuFei, "Tuna." To Quatre "Ham." To Heero's sandwich and "Chicken." To his own.  
  
"Turkey, Bologna.. Tuny?" Heero looked at Quatre for aide on his sandwich while Duo felt honored Heero remembered his turkey.  
  
"Tu-na." Quatre corrected, separating the syllables.  
  
"Tu-na." Heero repeated.  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Ok, Turkey, Bologna, Tu-na, ...Ham! and." He closed his eyes in concentration. 'Ok, starts with a ch- sound...its...' he puzzled internally."Chicken!" He exclaimed, looking rather proud of himself.  
  
Duo beamed at Heero. "We'll make a fluent speaker out of you yet!"  
  
The others merely nodded their agreement and turned to their sandwiches.  
  
*******3 Months Later******  
  
In three months, Heero Yuy had progressed immeasurably. He still spoke slowly, but he spoke with more confidence and a much larger vocabulary. Though he still needed help on grammar, structure and vocabulary, he was doing well enough to hold basic to mid level conversations. The Gundam boys were very pleased with the improvement and as time rolled on, Heero began to read works of literature from the library of the house. Always, Duo would read with him, helping him through hard passages and guiding him down the roads of American literature.  
  
Heero also began to pick up playing with Trowa and Quatre. They all had discovered with surprise that he was an amazing guitar player, as well as a pianist and he now accompanied Quatre in many classical piano duets. Upon discovering Heero's love for music, Duo had indulged him and purchased his an electric blue electric guitar as a surprise. Heero would often play for the Gundam boys, and Duo could hear Heero in his room at night, plucking out the strains of a nostalgic tune. But, he knew not the tune, and was waiting for the right opportunity to ask what exactly it was.  
  
WuFei and Heero now would engage it non-life threatening spars and Heero picked up techniques from WuFei and vice versa.  
  
*******  
  
Now, on a fine night, approaching the month of March, The gundam boys sat in the living, karaoke machine out and Heero's electric guitar on standby, along with a list of songs that each boys knew, ranging from a small list from Wufei to a list needing six pages from Duo.  
  
The Game: Make the Gundam Boys Sing  
  
The Moral: None  
  
The Rules: A Dice is rolled. 1=Heero 2=Duo 3=Trowa 4=Quatre 5=WuFei 6=Roller's Choice. The rolled or picked boy gets a song off their "songs I know" list and had to sing it. Guitar playing optional.  
  
The Point: Pure Mockery  
  
"Duo, tell me again the point of game?" Heero said dryly.  
  
"This game, Heero" Duo said off handedly. "And it's just for fun. You guys promised I could choose the activity for tonight if I could keep quiet for a whole dinner, and I did. So now's time for payback!"  
  
The others rolled their eyes.  
  
"What .does..payback mean?" Heero questioned.  
  
"Uh, its kinda like revenge, but not as bad."  
  
"Oh, ok"  
  
"Well then!" Duo cackled evilly. "Lets begin the torture!"  
  
To Be Continued...  
  
In Chapter 7: Future Plans and Karaoke... REVIEW!!! 


	8. The Power of Karaoke

A/N So sorry for the delay! Had to make an appropriate ending to lead into the second story in this trilogy..*drumroll* Mind Control! That one will be as dark as this was light hearted, but will be very long and definitely have elements of humor and shounen-ai! 2x1 forever!  
  
Click the little review button after you read...or else I might be mean and make you wait a really long time before posting the second story..  
  
Shameless plug: Inuyasha fans! Check out Purity, the sequel to Broken Heart, Broken Mind, delivered straight to your computers today! (Blazes, I sound like an ad...)  
  
Ok, I'll shut up and give you the awaited...  
  
Chapter 7: The Power of Karaoke  
  
The die arced through the air, thrown into a spin by Duo's hand. The white cube clattered on the table as the four other pilots watched apprehensively, wishing to be anywhere but in that place of doom. The die spun on its peak and the boys stopped breathing as it began to slow and clattered to the tabletop. Five. WuFei had to sing.  
  
Three collective sighs.  
  
"No!" WuFei cried, "It is dishonorable that I sing! I have displeased Meiran that she punishes me so!"  
  
"Its okay WuFei." Duo said sagely, patting the Chinese boy's arm, "All you have to sing is.." He waited for dramatic appeal before reaching into the bag marked 'WuFei' and pulling out an innocent sheet of paper. Unfolding it, the grin in his face became wicked as he stated: "The ABC's."  
  
Stunned silence.  
  
"WHAT!?" WuFei bellowed, face coloring red in rage, "That is a child's song!"  
  
"Too bad Wuffie!"  
  
"What did you call me Maxwell!?"  
  
"Wuffie. And besides, that ones in all of them! I taught it to you guys when we taught Heero!"  
  
The silence reined as the silence of incredulity dragged on after that statement. Even WuFei was too shocked to speak.  
  
"Come on, Wu!" Duo tantalized, holding out Heero's grudgingly sacrificed electric guitar, "It's a short song.."  
  
WuFei glared at him in utter loathing. "Fine!"  
  
Duo grinned self-satisfactorily as the guitar was torn from his grip and WuFei took the stage at the front of the couch.  
  
Clearing his throat rather uncomfortably, see looked once more for any hope of salvation. There was none. Swallowing, WuFei opened his mouth and began to sing or shall we say, butcher, the nursery melody. Guitar held in loose fingers due to no knowledge of how to play it, WuFei stared stubbornly at the wall as he droned on in his utterly tone deaf voice.  
  
It was truly awful. The other boys couldn't help but cringe at the 'cat dying-esque' sound issuing from Wufei's mouth. They all were visibly relieved when he was finished.  
  
"That was...not bad Wu-man!"  
  
"It was terrible." Heero put in bluntly.  
  
"Heero!" Quatre exclaimed, aghast at the blunt statement.  
  
Trowa hid a smile.  
  
WuFei merely glared at Duo, knowing to himself and despite his pride, that he sang horribly.  
  
"Ok!" Duo exclaimed, after sticking fingers in his ears to rid himself of the horrid sound, "Next Victim!"  
  
WuFei picked up the die, still slightly red from his performance and with a flick of his tan wrist, sent the white cube spinning toward the tabletop.  
  
'Please don't let it be me!' was the general sentiment of the boys in the room.  
  
The die of their doom clattered once more to a halt on the coffee table. One. It was Heero's turn.  
  
"Heeeeerrooooo." Duo said singsongingly, wrapping an arm around Heero's shoulders as the other hand reached for the plastic bag holding Heero's songs. Holding the bag out enticingly, Duo motioned for Heero to pull a slip of the white paper. Reaching in as the others looked on, Heero ruffled through the slips. 'Please don't be a Grasper song, please don't let it be a Grasper song.' was the silent mantra that ran through Heero's head as he pulled a folded slip out of the bag and handed it to Duo to read. Pulling his arm off Heero's shoulder reluctantly, Duo opened the slip. And Duo stared at the slip, a look of utter puzzlement forming on his face.  
  
"What?" Heero asked, moderately annoyed.  
  
"Uh, Heero?" Duo asked meekly, holding out the slip, "What does it say?"  
  
Heero blinked and stared at the paper. Sure enough, there was his neatly written kanji, of course Duo couldn't read it. Heero blushed, but said clearly, "It say 'True Light' by Miyamoto Shinichi."  
  
"OOOOOO." Duo exclaimed..."That language is very complex."  
  
"Aa. It is." Heero said matter of factly.  
  
The other pilots watched this with mild amusement. Correction, Quatre opening laughed, WuFei half smirked half glared and Trowa, was Trowa and just looked on with the slightest hint of amusement in the green orbs of his eyes.  
  
"Duo. Heero has to sing now." WuFei said, moderately maliciously.  
  
'Hah! Now he will have justice served for insulting me!'  
  
Heero gracefully stood up from the couch and walked over to the guitar sitting serenely in the front of the room, innocent as to its involvement in the game. The light shone off its electric blue face and glittered off the sticker stating 'Wing' that had been placed on the top bottom corner to make sure that all who saw the blue music-god knew just whose blue music- god they were dealing with.  
  
With all eyes glued to Heero, apprehension on some faces, namely Duo and Quatre's, hoping that they would not kill their hearing this time, and on WuFei's, a kind of glowering expression, hoping that Heero sang just as badly as he did.  
  
Heero placed the guitar strap over his shoulders and the blue body came to rest on the lower part of his abdomen. Closing his eyes, he centered his thoughts on the notes of the melody and the chords for the guitar.  
  
'It's been so long, yet not really, since I've sung for people. This song, it has power and if I can convey its power despite the language barrier, I can call myself a singer.' Heero thought resolutely, as he raised his hand to strike out the first chord.  
  
Eerie, church like music filled the air and the beat of the music soon flowed out of the guitars amplifier. The music reached a fevered beat and pitch and the Gundam pilots inadvertently leaned forward as the intro came to its climax. The music slowed as the guitar faded slightly and Heero raised his face to them and opened his mouth, releasing the long loved words of Miyamoto Shinichi.  
  
~kanashii hodo hikari dashita shiroi yami kirisaku tsubasa ni nare~  
  
Heero's voice was like honey, smooth and sweet, the boys were floored by the beauty of the Japanese boys tenor as he leaned once more into a guitar solo, hair blowing into his eyes as his body swayed to the music.  
  
~~tsumetai taiyou ni terasare teta kainara sareta jiyuu ga atta kagami ni utsutta kiseki no yoru MASUKU o hazushi hajime ta My Soul~~  
  
As Heero sung those last lines, he looked straight into Duo's eyes. Despite not knowing the language, the words flowed into his mind, words of sorrow, words of hope, words of new freedom. The guitar's beat flowed through the house as the music pitched again to enter the third verse.  
  
~~kuzure te yuku abe no mukou wa zetsubou mo kibou mo onaji kao suru mita sare nai kokoro aru nara tobi tateru shuumatsu no PUROROOGU e~~  
  
The boys were struck by the sheer power of the music, the words that seemed to echo in their souls, the movements of Heero as his lithe body moved as one with guitar and song to create an otherworldly sensation as the song arose to sing hope despite despair.  
  
~~yaiba no you na kaze fuku sekai mamoru beki mono wa nan nano ka? hitotsu hitotsu itami o shiru tabi hontou no jibun e to chikazuku~~  
  
The pain in Heero's soul flowed through the perfectly toned words, throwing the hearts of the boys into the past, into the uncertainty of whom they should be protecting. The music's ethereal beat flowed through the room, guiding them into Heero's soul as the boys forgot all but the beat and sounds of time.  
  
~~kie yuku Fake Light umare yuku True Light kono te ni...~~  
  
Truer words never spoken by any of them. The true light began to shine through the fakeness of the past. In their hands the future had been wrought. It seemed as though the strings played under Heero's fingers, coupled with his rich and beautiful voice were trying to show them the new world that they had helped create was one were former assassins and murderers, could bring hope to the world through song.  
  
~~shiroku somaru yami tsuki nukete atarashii jidai o kizami tsuzukero toki wa nashita kokoro no mama ni hateshi naku tsuzui teku byaku ya o tobe~~  
  
Heero's voice faded out the music took over again, spiraling to the Heavens. Thoughts of sorrow and pain, revenge and anger, were forgotten as the song faded into the winds of time and Heero's hands stilled on the strings.  
  
The past four minutes had seemed to last an eternity. An eternity in which their lives had been given a new purpose and meaning.  
  
"Wow." Duo's awestruck voice broke the silence.  
  
"Yea." Trowa murmured in assent.  
  
"It was the most incredibly singing I've ever heard." WuFei grudgingly admitted. "It had power behind it, honor and might."  
  
Heero smiled at him, his whole face lighting up. Paired with the aftereffects of performing such a powerful song, Heero seemed absolutely to be an otherworldly beauty, at least in Duo's opinion.  
  
"That..touched my heart, it was as if I knew exactly what he was saying, even though I didn't." Quatre said solemnly.  
  
"Q, that makes no sense but I feel the same way." Duo agreed. Then, his face became suddenly shrewd, "And that remedied my mind of WuFei-singing."  
  
"Max-well!!" WuFei said angrily, "It wasn't that bad!"  
  
"Compared to Heero's it was!"  
  
"Injustice! Comparing me to that!"  
  
And on they went into a typical Duo vs. WuFei argument. Quatre and Trowa looked on, shaking their heads.  
  
Heero smiled at them, having accomplished his goal. They had seen past the language barrier and into the depth of the song.  
  
'Mission accomplished.'  
  
THE END..Or, the beginning?  
  
A/N Whew! That took awhile! Welpers, the next story should be coming out soon! I hope to see y'all there! Great thanks to all my reviewers! You guys are my life!  
  
Translation of the song Heero sings is listed below! Hope you like!  
  
"True Light  
  
a sad light shone turning into wings that cuts the white darkness  
  
shone upon by the cold sun I had some limited freedom the miraculous night cast by the mirror started to remove my mask, my soul  
  
on the other side of the collapsing wall despair and hope looks the same if there's a heart that's yet to be seen lets head to the end of the prologue  
  
in the world where the wind blows like a blade what is it I should protect? in a journey where I know one painful thing after another I get closer to the true me  
  
the fake light is disappearing the true light is born in these hands...  
  
pierce through the night dyed in white keep on creating a new era create time with your heart fly through the eternal white night" 


End file.
